Brisbane charity collectors in council's sights

City Hall is set to reduce the high concentration of charity collectors on CBD streets after receiving hundreds of complaints about the city's tin shakers.

This week, Brisbane City Council received the backing of Queensland's peak local government body to lobby the Newman government for legislative change that would give councils the power to grant permits to charitable collectors.

Brisbane City Council wants to restrict charity collectors on city streets. Photo: Rob Homer

The Local Government Association of Queensland passed the motion at its annual conference in Cairns this week.

Finance chairman Julian Simmonds said City Hall did not wish to restrict the activities of charity collectors or slash their numbers, but sought to control the high concentration of collectors in specific locations and to set acceptable behaviour standards.

“By enabling local governments to set their own regulations, certain areas could be excluded and a permit process would control the numbers of collectors within certain areas and minimise the impacts to residents and visitors,” he said.

Charity collectors were already restricted in the Queen Street Mall, Cr Simmonds said, and council was seeking similar powers for other areas to achieve a better outcome for residents and visitors.

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“Council does not wish to hamper the effort of charities and collection of donations and subscriptions from the general public but some parameters around acceptable behaviours are needed," he said.

“There have been complaints relating to the perceived harassment that residents and visitors may endure by different collectors and there is also a growing safety concern regarding the impact to pedestrian flow on busy footways such as Adelaide and Edward streets."

Should the legislative change occur, Queensland would be only the second Australian state to give such power to local government.

In the motion submitted to the LGAQ, Brisbane City Council said South Australia had also declared charity collecting a regulated activity requiring a permit, which it cited Adelaide City Council having used "to great effect".

In supporting the motion, the LGAQ executive said it understood the importance of charities collecting donations.

"However, it is also very important that workers, shoppers and visitors feel comfortable entering areas such as central business districts and spending money to support local economies without being, what may be perceived as, 'accosted' by charity collectors," it said.

The Salvation Army's Neil Dickson said he did not expect such a move would have a dramatic impact on his organisation's fundraising activity, as they only have tin shakers out during their Red Shield Appeal.

"It is so competitive with charities vying for spots and spaces I can understand why its of particular concern to the council," he said.